Between its establishment in 1860 and its closure in 1937 Brook Lifeboat had six coxswains.
All were expert seaman and all, except for Jack Seely, were local longshoremen and fishermen. Living all their lives in Brook, they knew more than anyone the different sea states, the local weather and every detail of the coastline.
The coxswain’s job was to judge the exact moment to shout ‘Launch!’ when the thirty or more helpers hauled on the two ropes which shot the boat from its carriage into the sea.
The experience and knowledge required and the qualities of nerve and judgement are so exacting...It is an affair not of minutes but of seconds, and hesitation, vacillation, or weakness spells disaster.
Launch, J E B Seely.
Gen. Jack Seely and Alfred Woodford1933 – 1937